Chart Rewind: Harry Belafonte Was No. 1 on the Billboard 200 When It Launched in 1956
By Keith Caulfield
Published on March 24, 2026.
Harry Belafonte, known as the King of Calypso, was the first person to win Billboard's first weekly albums chart in 1956 with his hit "Belaf". The Billboard 200 now remains the chart of record for America's most popular albums each week, largely due to consumption tracked by Luminate. Calipso spent a record-breaking 31 weeks at No. 1, making it the third-longest run on top in the chart's history. The Grammy and Emmy Award-winning singer continued charting albums through 1970 due to his social activism and philanthropy.
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